Chennai – Accompanied by an activist wearing an elephant costume in shackles and holding a sign that reads, “Be an Elefriend, Boycott Animal Circuses”, members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India will protest outside the Great Bombay Circus in Chennai on Thursday. PETA’s point? That elephants and other animals forced to perform in circuses are routinely abused and that the use of all animals in circuses should be banned:

“Animals in circuses are routinely chained, beaten and denied everything that is natural and important to them – all for a lifetime of cheap tricks”, says PETA India campaigner Chani Singh. “PETA wants to remind parents that if their kids love animals, the last place that they should take them is the Great Bombay Circus or any other circus that uses animals.”

Animals in circuses are subjected to chronic confinement, physical abuse and psychological torment. Whips and other tools – including ankuses, which are heavy steel-tipped rods – are often used to inflict pain on animals and beat them into submission. Animals perform confusing, unnatural tricks – such as riding bicycles, standing on their heads or jumping through rings of fire – not because they want to but out of fear of this violent punishment.

Even when they aren’t performing, animals in circuses suffer a lifetime of misery. Their access to water, food and veterinary care may be severely restricted. Dogs are crammed into dirty cages and rarely let out, and birds are confined to small cages and have their wings clipped so that they cannot fly. Horses are kept tethered on short ropes, and elephants are kept chained by their legs. The government has banned the use of bears, monkeys, tigers, panthers, lions and bulls in performances. PETA is now calling on the Indian government to follow the lead of Bolivia and Greece, which has banned the use of all animals in circuses.